'Eat Local Challenge' benefits state farmers

Hamilton College's dining service Bon Appetit and local farmers hosted a picnic featuring locally produced foods Tuesday afternoon on the campus grounds.

ANGELICA A. MORRISON

CLINTON- Hamilton College is going home-grown.

The college's dining service Bon Appetit and local farmers hosted a picnic featuring locally produced foods Tuesday afternoon on the campus grounds.

To inspire New York state pride, the "Eat Local Challenge" featured dishes such as apple cider pulled pork, maple buttered acorn squash, cucumber tomato salad and grilled garden vegetable salad.

All the food, including the meat, with the exception of the salt, came from local farmers and farms within 150 miles of the college.

Hamilton College student Sam Ward, 19, ate the pulled pork.

"It was so good," said the Wisconsin native. "By buying local you're able to support your community."

The event was held to inspire students, staff and consumers to eat locally grown and produced food.

|"We want to support the community that we're in," said Patrick Raynard, general manager for the Bon Appetit management company. "We're here to stay and we want to support the local economy the best way we know how."

Bon Appetit purchases most of the food it serves the students from local sources.

"Eating local just makes good economical sense. You not only help those who are your neighbors, you're helping to promote good business," Farhana said. "So people eat healthier, the environment is healthy. There's less carbon, there's less messing around with Mother Nature. It's just a win for all."